Sanitary napkin



- Nov. 11, 1969' R- A. DILLON 3,477,433

SANITARY NAPKIN Filed Dec. 25, 1966 INVENTOR. ROSEMARY A. D/LAON any/Z0ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,477,433 SANITARY NAPKIN Rosemary A.Dillon, 9622 Mohawk Drive, Shawnee Mission, Kans. 66206 Filed Dec. 23,1966, Ser. No. 604,311 Int. Cl. A61f 13/20; A61m 15/00 US. Cl. 128--2904 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A very thin sanitary napkinparticularly designed for very light flow periods is formed of aplurality of absorbent tissue paper sheets with a liquid impervioussheet therebeneath. A bottom sheet of tissue paper lies beneath theimpervious sheet, presenting substantial surface friction, and therebyavoids unwanted relative movement of the napkin with respect to theunderclothes of the wearer.

background of the invention Summary of the invention This inventioncontemplates the formation of a very thin sanitary napkin which may beworn without belts due to friction produced between an undergarment andthe napkin when the napkin is pressed against the body of the wearer. Itis the principal objects of the present invention to provide such a thinnapkin which may be comfortably worn without the use of belts; toprovide such a napkin which offers protection against fluids travelingtherethrough onto the undergarments of the wearer; to provide such adevice which exhibits a friction layer on the underside thereof toreduce the tendency to move with respect to the undergarment of thewearer; and to provide such a napkin which presents little bulk and isthus easily carried in purse or pocket.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of anapkin embodying this invention, shown greatly exaggerated in thicknessand with a portion broken away to better illustrate internalconstruction.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional end view of a modified form of napkinwherein tissue paper layers are doubled around one edge, the verticaldimension also being greatly exaggerated.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 2, with aportion 'broken away showing an adhesive strip used to maintain thelayers together.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further modified form of thisinvention which includes a soft mesh bag containing the pad.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to the drawings inmore detail, the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a sanitarynapkin for absorbing body fluids during light flow periods. The napkincomprises a plurality of adjacent overlaping elon- 3,477,433 PatentedNov. 11, 1969 gated absorbent tissue paper sheets 2 forming an elongatedpad 3 with an upper surface 4 and a lower surface 5. A fluid impervious,thin, flexible film or sheet 6 of a suitable synthetic material such aspolyethylene is coextensive with the tissue paper sheets 2 andpositioned in contact with the lower surface 5.

A layer or sheet 7 of tissue paper similar to the sheets 2 is positionedbeneath the impervious sheet 6 and is coextensive therewith. The sheets2, 6 and 7 forming the napkin in the embodiment of FIG. 1, aremaintained together in overlapping relation by suitable edge crimping 8around the adjacent peripheries of the various sheets.

The sanitary napkin shown in FIG. 1 and described above is quite thinand may be comfortably worn between the body and a tight undergarmentduring periods of light flow. Since the bottom layer or sheet 7 is oftissue paper, it presents a relatively high friction surface whichengages the undergarment, thus resisting relative movement therebetweenand normally eliminating the need for the belt commonly worn with aconventional sanitary napkin. The impervious sheet 6 prevents liquidflow from passing entirely through the napkin and onto the clothes ofthe wearer.

A second embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, whereinthe tissue paper sheets 9 corresponding to the sheets 2 in FIG. 1 aresubstantially twice the width of the finished pad 10 and are doubled orfolded along a common edge 11 eliminating the need for fastening thesheets together along the edge 11. An impervious sheet 12, correspondingto the sheet 6, is placed between a selected pair of adjacent sheets 9near the underside 13 of the pad 10. Thus, the bottom sheet 14 is formedof tissue paper so as to provide the downwardly directed frictionalsurface described above. The remaining edge-s 15 of the sheets 9 andimpervious sheets 12 are joined together, by way of example, withadhesive strips 16.

A further modified form of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 4,wherein a soft mesh bag 17 of fibrous material, such as paper, encases apad 18 similar to those described in connection with FIGS. 1 or 2.However, the various sheets forming the pad 18 need not be joined, sincethe bag 17 may function to physically hold all the sheets in overlappingaligned relation.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the underside 19 of the mesh bag 17presents a downwardly directed surface having the desired highfrictional characteristics and thus the impervious sheet 20 of the pad18 may be on the bottom of the pad (within the bag) rather than betweenthe various layers thereof.

In some instances it may be desirable to extend portions of the bag 17forming forwardly and rearwardly directed tabs 21 and 22-which can 'bepinned or otherwise seured tc the undergarment, for example, in cases ofhigh physical activity of the wearer.

It is to be understood that, although certain forms of this inventionhave been illustrated and described, it is not to be limited theretoexcept insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.

What I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sanitary napkin for absorbing body fluids during light flow periodscomprising:

(a) a plurality of adjacent overlapping and engaging elongated absorbenttissue paper sheets forming an elongated pad with an upper surface and alower surface;

(b) a fluid impervious sheet engaging and coextensive with said tissuepaper sheets and positioned in contact with said lower surface;

(c) at least one tissue paper bottom sheet beneath and engaging saidimpervious sheet and coextensive therewith;

(d) maintaining means associated with each of said tissue paper sheetsand said impervious sheet and said bottom sheet for holding same inparallel overlapping engagement;

(e) said tissue paper sheets and said bottom sheet each having at leasttwice the width of said pad;

(f) said tissue paper sheets and said bottom sheets each being folded toform upper and lower parallel portion; and

(g) said impervious sheet being substantially a single width sheetpositioned between the lower portions adjacent tissue paper sheets.

2. The sanitary napkin as set forth in claim 1 where- (a) saidmaintaining means comprises crimping together the peripheral edges ofeach of said tissue paper sheets and said impervious sheet and saidbottom sheet.

3. The "sanitary napkin as :set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said maintaining means is a continuous adhesive strip adjacent theperipheral edges of each of said tissue paper sheets and said impervioussheet and said bottom sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Makela 128290 Harwood 128290Campall 128-290 Wolterding et al. 128296 Testa 128290 FOREIGN PATENTSGreat Britain. Great Britain.

CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner

